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Alabama State Troopers receive field force training from FEMA

FEMA said on Tuesday that more than 200 Alabama State Troopers will attend the FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness during early this year.

The troopers will train on the Field Force Operations course, which is designed to teach officers to use crowd control measures during civil disorders.

"We trained for situations that can hopefully be resolved peacefully, first and foremost in a professional manner," Trooper Chad Bright said. "The training was excellent. I don't think it could have been any better. Our agency will benefit."

FEMA said that Alabama State Troopers support three major events every year, and crowd control measures could be useful there.

"We need to be able to respond and come together as a single unit," Bright said. "This training provided us a solid base to work from and respond as a team."

The federally-funded training is provided by CDP to emergency responders, emergency managers and government officials from state, local and tribal governments.

"We are fortunate to have the CDP in our state, even though it is a national training facility," Sergeant David Steward, a supervisor with the Highway Patrol, said. "The funding also saved our state money that can be put to use in other critical areas. It has been a challenge to make the training happen because we're already short handed, but those who have attended say it exceeded their expectation. Other states need to check into the CDP."